The Role of Public Libraries in e-Inclusion Process. The Realities and Perspectives of Lithuania

The Role of Public Libraries in e-Inclusion Process. The Realities and Perspectives of Lithuania20 April 2007

Dr. Kęstutis Juškevičius

Lietuvos nacionalinėMartyno Mažvydo biblioteka

Plan of presentation:

• e-inclusion in Lithuania, short characteristic

• many projects, not many results. Why?

• how public libraries could help?

• The groups of social risk, people with disabilities

• Almost all inhabitants of rural areas, in which:

– much bigger number of elderly people– many out of labour force– lower education level

e-exclusion in Lithuania

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The projects for e-inclusion in Lithuania

2002-2005: 175 PIAP’s, Windows for the Future, Inter. Ministry

2005-2006: 300 PIAPs, PHARE Project, Inter. Ministry

2006-2007: 400 PIAPs, EU SF Project, Inter. Ministry

1997–1999, OSF project, first 12 PIAPs in libraries

2002–2005, WF, 175 PIAPs, 90 in libraries

2005–2006, PHARE proj., 300 PIAPs, 210 in libraries

2006–2007, EU SF proj., 400 PIAPs, 380 in libraries

The activity of Public Libraries

Despite of all these steps, the situation is not acceptable.

“Coming from a low-performance background, Lithuania has moved into being a mid-level performer in some regards, but is still in the low end in most indicators.”Annual Report 2007 on EU i2010 Strategy

Why?

Many strengths and attention are paid to “supply” side, too less – to “demand” side.

Problem

How we stimulated demand in Lithuania?

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Digital literacy: Training activities

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- “Windows to the Future” - training of 20 000 people in 2003

- “Windows to the Future” – EU SF project for training of 50 000 people in rural areas in 2006-2008

- State Strategy of Universal Digital Literacy: 970 000 digital literal people until 2012

Fostering of usage of IT via Community Organisations, 2002-2005

• Naujos veiklos - mokymas

Nuotolinis mokymasis

Seminarai

Pristatymai ir diskusijos

PROJECT PIAP1

PIAP1 outreach campaigns

• User training: e-declaration, e-banking, e-commerce seminars

• Contest for seniors “How Internet helps me to take care of my health”

• “Best PIAP tutor” contest• E-cards, digital photos contests

WHY IT WAS NOT SUCESSFULLY ENOUGH?

WHAT WE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE?

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LIBRARIES FOR INNOVATION

GOAL: To achieve, through strengthening and using the capacities of public libraries, a considerably better use of the possibilities of information technologies among all the Lithuanian population for obtaining useful information and communication

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Key tasks

• Equipping all the perspective and yet non-informatized public libraries with public Internet access, and expanding and modernizing public Internet access in the libraries already having it

• Strengthening, in essence, information competence of public libraries’ staff and helping them to become active promoters and helpers of the local community in mastering the possibilities of information technologies

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THANK YOUTHANK YOU